‘The Watchmaker’ delivers glimpse at XL H1 HDV performance

June 6, 2006

As an experienced director of photography, John Dunn has used practically every film and video format available to shoot everything from TV commercials to high-end corporate productions. Recently, however, Dunn had the opportunity to use Canon’s new XL H1 HDV camcorder while shooting "The Watchmaker".

For Dunn, who works for ADM Productions, a full-service corporate communications facility in Port Washington, NY, the XL H1 is nothing less than the camera of the future.

Hired to produce a marketing video for Canon, Dunn shot the piece with the XL H1 to show off its capabilities. For the project, an imaginary behind-the scenes documentary was shot in 24-frame HD. Dunn relied on two XL H1 cameras: one shot watchmaker, the other documented the film crew shooting him.

Filmed on location in rural Narrowsburg, NY, and at ADM’s sound stages near New York City, “The Watchmaker” serves as a visual showcase for the camera’s image-making capabilities. Beginning with early-morning scenes of the watchmaker bicycling to work along country roads, the piece progressed to show detailed macro photography of disassembled timepieces being repaired.

Dunn shot handheld from the back of camera trucks and hung out of car sunroofs to capture outdoor beauty shots of the watchmaker riding his bike.

Dunn found the XL H1 to be flexible and has used it since shooting “The Watchmaker” at an SD corporate assignment in Detroit and an HD project in California. According to Dunn, skipping back and forth between formats is seamless and has proven to be a great advantage.